Live or Let Die
by Serised
Summary: She wakes up and doesn't know whats going on. Meeting Sheppard was the best possible thing, but at what price?
1. Prologue

This is a joint story written by myself and a friend (LittleVala). Our collective little minds were flowing as together we though of this story idea, actually staying up 'til one in the morning figuring out a plot. I hope you enjoy!

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**Prologue:**

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In the small science lab that doubled as a stasis chamber, the lights slowly flickered on. The walls and consoles coming to life as if by magic. On a wall screen, ancient writing scrolled up and down repeating phrases, and correcting mistakes. A faint warning alarm sounded twice and silenced as a stasis pod slid out of the right wall. The inside covered in ice, no one would be able to see inside of it. With a hiss the top opened, releasing a cloud of steam as the cold air hit the warmth of the outside world. The fog cleared to reveal a little girl, asleep, around the age of six or seven.

Her functions and sensors slowly booted up after ages of being 'on ice'. Cold air rushed into her simulated lungs. The little girls emerald green eyes shot open, and nervously jolted back and forth. Her chest rose and fell erratically. She didn't understand; what was going on? Why was no one tending to her? Where was her watcher, her creator? It took her several minutes to get her systems in check and calm down. Now thinking clearly, she lifted herself up into a sitting position. Her eyes scanning the room, it's where she had been left last, but where was Ambrosia?

"Last data recording, please." Her little voice was demanding but it had the edge of a child trying to pretend to be a grown up. The screen that had been scrolling with ancient text changed to show a woman in ancient clothing bustling about the lab, muttering incoherently to herself. The woman stopped and stared at the recording device.

_"IO375921APD, enter stasis and stop recording."_ _The recording device nodded obediently, and shut down_. It was all coming back to the little girl now. Had the wraith won? Were they here?

"Life Signs detector on," the girl called out. The screen changed yet again. Now it showed the whole of Atlantis covered in blue dots. The little girl was slightly taken aback. Tugging on her black braids, she rocked on her heels attempting to make a choice between staying put like a good little being, or leaving to make contact with the beings on her fair city. With another tug on her braids she huffed and grabbed a small sized PADD off the console and exited the lab. Switching the life signs detector on she noticed a blue dot nearby her position. Human, well this was a good turn of events. The dot was just around the corner, time to make contact.

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	2. Making Contact

So here is chapter one, by myself and LittleVala!

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**Chapter One: Making Contact**

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"So he really can't go runnin' doc?" Sheppard asked Beckett, as they walked away from Ronon. Sheppard had the look of a child that was told it was raining so he couldn't go outside to play. It was about five in the morning, and they'd gotten back from their mission two hours previously, and since this was their regular time they went running they thought they should at least keep their schedule the same. They weren't the least bit tired, but McKay had tripped off world while he had his nose buried in his PADD. Ronon had gone to help McKay back up, but also had the misfortune of stepping wrong, and spraining his ankle in a hidden hole that was quite deep. Carrying a caveman back to the gate was not the highlight of John's morning.

"Aye, his ankle is pretty swollen. I've ordered him on light duty for the time being, so no running, I'm sorry." Carson seemed to be genuinely sorry. He knew the two always went running, but Sheppard would have to go alone this morning, or not go at all. Ronon was not allowed to put pressure on his ankle until it was healed. The great Ronon taken out by a pot hole, who would have guessed.

"Thanks Doc." The disappointed Colonel patted Carson on the shoulder and headed back to Ronon. "Sorry, no running for you. Doc's orders." Sheppard kept his eyes to the ground; this sucked major. Today was the day they had planned on running five miles, and running out to the edge of the base.

"Ah, that's okay. I need to catch up on writing my reports anyways." Ronon's shoulders sagged at his defeat. "But you go run anyways. I'll just have to beat you by even more next time." Ronon smiled widely. It was no doubt, he'd probably beat Sheppard no matter what.

"Heh, thanks. Listen stay off the ankle, I want you better and fast." It was the last retort before John retreated out the door. He went to his quarters and changed into his work out clothes, before taking a transporter to where he and Ronon had decided to begin their run. He started out pacing himself, slow and steadily working up to an all out sprint. As he reached the farther edges of the city, the lights turned on and the city came to life. Maybe this was a bad idea, him running all the way out here alone, and lighting up the city using who knows how much power. He dismissed the thought though, because if something went wrong he'd be radioed immediately. After reaching the five mile mark, he stopped and bent over, panting like a dog in the summer heat. He unscrewed his water bottle and took a long needed drink. His breathing starting to return to normal.

He'd never been out this way, this far. Sure, on the other side of the city he had, but nothing interesting to him was over there, only geeky science labs that McKay drool. Maybe now was a good time to take a look around. He didn't have Ronon with him, so he could take a couple minutes for himself. John let his feet guide him wherever they wanted him to go, his eyes taking in the beauty of the city. Even for a man of the military, he couldn't get passed the beauty of Atlantis. Before another thought could pass through his mind he heard a door slide open, and footsteps walking his way. They weren't those of booted feet, or any of the shoes that women of Atlantis wore. No, they were barefoot, the soft slapping of skin hitting the floor with each step. They sounded small, and harmless, but small and harmless could also meant sneaky and maybe even quite large.

His breath hitched as the sounds stopped, his eyes watching the corner waiting for the noise maker to appear. He really didn't expect anyone to be out this far, whoever it was. There was a shuffling noise from just around the corner, and John tensed, ready to fight. His eyes grew big as this little girl turned the corner, and stopped, facing him. She didn't look the least bit surprised he was there. Slowly he let his muscles relax as he took in the little sight before him. Her black hair tied in two braids falling in front of her shoulders, big green eyes staring at him with an odd curiosity.  
"Uh, hello. How did you get here." Maybe he was going slightly insane, but the last time he checked, nobody had children here, or had children visiting, or anything. Her dress was odd too, it didn't resemble anything the Athosians would wear, or that of what Earth children would wear. But something little ancient children would wear. The little girl wore a small white fitted shirt that over lapped itself in the front, as well as small white pants fitted to the small form of the tiny child. "Listen, can you talk? Are you allowed to talk? I need to know your name and who you belong to." He was getting no where, and she just stared at him. As well, he'd probably stare at himself if he was in her situation. Being lost was never fun, especially if you were lost with McKay because than there's a strong feeling of wanting to shoot yourself to end the misery. John watched in amusement as the little girl opened her mouth to speak then shut it, and wrinkled her nose as if not knowing what to do.

"I'm IO375921APD, I belong to Ambrosia. Have you seen her?" She cocked her head to the side, as if to study John better. Sheppard, on the other hand was taken a back by the clarity of her words. She had very good diction, he just hadn't been expecting someone so little to sound so smart, and she'd only said about two sentences. His mind tried to wrap around the numbers and letters she had given to him to register as her name. No, no one names their kid that, not unless they want their kid to be emotionally and physically abused for the rest of their.

"Right, well I can't remember your name, so how about I give you a new one. Is that okay?" It took the little girl a couple seconds and then she nodded her head. She wanted to make this as painless as possible. "Okay, well then your new name is...um...Stephanie? No I probably shouldn't name you after an ex-girlfriend, that'd be weird." John scratched his head as he thought of a new name. "I've got it I'll call you Emmy, it's short for Emmaline. It's my mother's name, is that alright?" The little girl nodded her head again, and John exhaled. What was he going to do with her. "So who's Ambrosia?"

"Ambrosia is my creator, and watcher. I am, in a way, her interactive data recorder. I have 3000 sessions recorded." She answered him properly. John, still unsure, tried to decipher what she was saying.

"What do you mean data recorder? You're a machine?" A little machine girl. Well that put a whole new meaning on robot.

"I am not a machine, I am a created being. I was created to replicate, but not like the others. My replicating has been disabled, and I was strictly to stay with Ambrosia and record her trials and errors in inventing. I was programmed with feelings and emotions, like humans, but I am not like the others." She replied. John looked around to see if this was some sort of prank that someone was playing on him.

"You're a replicator?" He stuttered out. She couldn't be a replicator. She was too small and to cute to be one of those machines that liked to stick their hands into people heads.

"If that's what you call them. Then yes, but I told you I cannot replicate. My command code is different from the others."

"Others. As in other replicators?"

"Correct."

"Where were you at? We've never picked up any sort of life in this side of Atlantis." John was slightly confused.

" I was in the lab around the corner. I was in stasis obeying the command of my creator, Ambrosia, when I was suddenly awoken from stasis. I thought that they'd come back and had fought off the wraith, but I found no one as I woke, but intead, after activating the life signs dector, I found you. Where are the wraith? Did they win?" She wanted answers, and she wanted them now. This man looked as if he knew what he was doing, or at least he looked like a leader or sorts.

"You're from before the war between the Wraith and the Ancients? Wow." What else was their to say but wow. At this point in time Emmy was getting slightly annoyed. John moved his hand to his ear piece to call Elizabeth.

"NO!" Emmy shouted at him. John froze. She may be only just woken up, but she knew what he was about. "Do not call others to help you. Come here, please." John lowered his hand and obeyed the little girl. He knelt down in front of her so that they could look each other in the eyes. Her hand shot up and delved into his head. Before John could stop her she was digging through his mind. His hand was wrapped tight around her tiny arm. This didn't hurt like the other times had. She was gentle, sure it still hurt, but it felt like getting a very bad Indian burn on his forehead repeatedly. No doubt he'd have a headache later on.

Finally she released John from her grasp. "Your name is John Sheppard. Leutinent Colonel in the United States Air Force. Leader of SGA-1. Your friends are Teyla Emmegan, Ronon Dex, Meredith Rodney McKay, Carson Beckett, Elizabeth Weir, and many others. There are so many here! You're from Earth..." at this point her speech slowed as she ciphered through all this new found knowledge. "I was left. My watcher left me! She left me! I was her creation, how could she?!" Her voice raised to a screeching octave which did not help John's headache any. She was stomping her foot and ranting about never being left behind.

"Hey whoa! Calm down there. It wasn't their fault they left, it was either leave or be killed. You can't be mad at them." John tried to get her to calm down, and she did slightly, but her little chest was rising and falling angrily. Her fists clenched at her side, her knuckles turning white under the pressure. "Relax okay." Sheppard advised.

"You **cannot **tell your people about me. They'll poke and prod at me, and disable me. I do not want to be disabled. Your Rodney is a genius, but he doesn't fully understand my kinds programming. You cannot let him turn me off!" She ran to John, almost knocking him over as she wrapped her tiny arms around his grown frame. She was silently crying, he could tell by how her body shook. Now he was in quite a conundrum. What was he to do? He had to turn her in, but what if he did and she went haywire? He couldn't let Rodney pick her apart, and make her non-human, because to him she was fully human with emotions and everything, this proved it. Emmy was right, her base coding _was_ different from the others. Heaving a sigh, he set a hand on the child's back, rubbing circles in an effort to comfort her. He didn't know what to do, but as of now, he would comfort her. It was the least he could do.

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